By Ben Adoga, Abuja
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has urged supporters of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to back President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, saying continued support for the President would bring greater political and developmental benefits to the state.
Wike appealed on Monday during an interactive meeting with Fubara-aligned supporters and youth leaders in Port Harcourt, where he urged them to put past political grievances behind them and rally behind Tinubu.
He said a strong electoral performance for Tinubu would strengthen Rivers State’s influence at the federal level and increase its prospects for political appointments, infrastructure and other opportunities.
“All I want to hear in this state is Tinubu and nothing but Tinubu. If we play the role we are playing now, and we are one of the first three states that get the highest number of votes, we will get more of the appointments,” Wike said.
The FCT Minister said the Tinubu administration had already demonstrated its commitment to Rivers State through the number of high-profile federal appointments secured by the state’s indigenes.
He argued that a larger voter turnout for Tinubu would position Rivers for greater benefits, particularly for young people, while reinforcing its relevance in national politics.
Wike said his political interest was not about seeking another governorship position but ensuring that Rivers State remained a major force in Nigeria’s political decision-making.
“I am not going to be governor again; this is for your own interest. I want this state to grow. I want this state to play an important role in the politics of Nigeria,” he said.
He also cited infrastructure projects, including the Bonny road, as evidence of the Federal Government’s commitment to development in the state.
Wike urged political leaders and grassroots supporters to embrace reconciliation, saying political disagreements should not be allowed to undermine the state’s interests.
“We are talking for survival and growth,” he told local government youth leaders, urging them to return to their various communities, mend fences and prepare for the 2027 campaign.
He said reconciliation committees were working to ensure that members who felt excluded from emerging political arrangements were brought back into the fold.
Earlier, a former Mayor of Port Harcourt, Ezebunwo Ichemati, who spoke on behalf of Fubara’s supporters, pledged the group’s support for Wike and the emerging Rainbow Coalition to deliver Rivers State for Tinubu and other candidates.
Ichemati described the meeting as a turning point in the state’s political landscape, saying the reconciliation between the Wike and Fubara camps had created a stronger platform ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said the group was prepared to mobilise its grassroots network in support of the coalition, including the gubernatorial bid of Kingsley Chinda.
Describing the previous political crisis as a family disagreement, Ichemati said the reconciliation had brought the opposing camps back together.
“Every family has its own peculiarity in problems. What matters most is that the family comes together, the children watch what has divided them, and decide to move forward,” he said.
Ichemati said the grassroots youths who had served as political foot soldiers during the crisis would now become a force for the coalition.
“The state has been held back for a very long time. Now that you are bringing this peace initiative down to the youths, who are the foot soldiers, I want to assure you that we commit ourselves to join our brothers in the Rainbow Coalition,” he said.
